Monroe, Wisconsin

For other uses, see Monroe, Wisconsin (disambiguation).

Monroe, Wisconsin
City
Official seal of Monroe, Wisconsin Seal
Nickname(s): Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA
Location in Green County and the state of Wisconsin. Location in Green County and the state of Wisconsin.
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
County	Green
Government
• Type	Council-Manager Government
• Mayor	William Ross
Area
• Total	4.83 sq mi (12.51 km2)
• Land	4.83 sq mi (12.51 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	1,056 ft (322 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	10,827
• Estimate (2012)	10,794
• Density	2,241.6/sq mi (865.5/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code(s)	608
FIPS code	55–53750
GNIS feature ID	1569657
Website	www.cityofmonroe.org

Monroe, known as "the Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA", is a city in and the county seat of Green County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,827 at the 2010 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Monroe and partially in the Town of Clarno.

Geography

Monroe is located at (42.5989, -89.6410). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.83 square miles (12.51 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	939		—
1870	3,408		262.9%
1880	3,293		−3.4%
1890	3,768		14.4%
1900	3,927		4.2%
1910	4,410		12.3%
1920	4,788		8.6%
1930	5,015		4.7%
1940	6,182		23.3%
1950	7,037		13.8%
1960	8,050		14.4%
1970	8,654		7.5%
1980	10,027		15.9%
1990	10,241		2.1%
2000	10,843		5.9%
2010	10,827		−0.1%
Est. 2014	10,781		−0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $36,922, and the median income for a family was $47,361. Males had a median income of $32,050 versus $22,112 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,657. About 2.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,827 people, 4,810 households, and 2,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,241.6 inhabitants per square mile (865.5/km²). There were 5,101 housing units at an average density of 1,056.1 per square mile (407.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 0.6% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 2.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population.

There were 4,810 households of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the city was 41.1 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

Businesses and attractions

The Richardsonian Romanesque style courthouse, located on the Square, was built in 1891.

• The Swiss Colony
• Monroe Truck Equipment
• Monroe Clinic
• Minhas Craft Brewery
• Mitek's factory (makers of MTX Audio)
• Chalet Cheese Factory, may now be the only cheese factory in North America making Limburger cheese
• Green County Courthouse
• T&B's Performance and Machine
• Historic downtown square
• Turner Hall, the only Turner (gymnast) Hall of Swiss origin left in the U.S.
• Ludlow Mansion
• Monroe Arts Center in the landmarked First Methodist Church edifice
• Cheese Days, a biannual celebration of the region's dairy heritage
• WEKZ AM, 1260 kHz and WBGR-FM, 93.7 MHz

Education

The Monroe School District is the largest school district in Green County, serving around 2,700 pupils, and having an open enrollment procedure. The school district maintains Monroe High School, home of the Cheesemakers in the Badger Conference, Monroe Middle School, Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy, Parkside Elementary School, and Northside Elementary School. The district also has an alternative high school and middle school, as well as a virtual school. St. Victor Catholic elementary school also serves the community. Monroe has a campus of Blackhawk Technical College, the community's sole institution of post-secondary education.

Transportation

Wisconsin State Highways

• WIS 11 Runs Around Monroe on the bypass.
• WIS 81 Runs Around Monroe on the bypass.
• WIS 69 Runs on the bypass for 1 mile with WIS 81 and WIS 11
• WIS 59 Ends in The Northeast corner of the city near the Monroe Clinic.

Recreational trails

• Badger State Trail Runs from Madison through Fitchburg past the Ice Age National Scenic Trail Montrose segment, Belleville, New Glarus, and crosses the Sugar River Trail before reaching Monroe, and then continues to meet with the Jane Adams Trail at the Illinois border which continues to Freeport, Illinois.
• Cheese Country Trail

Railroads

Wisconsin and Southern Railroad serves the city with freight service. A branch line from Janesville ends at Badger State Ethanol.

Recreation

Monroe has a number of large parks. The largest include Twining Park, where the city's Swiss bandshell is located; Recreation Park, home to the city swimming pool; and Honey Creek Park, the location of a skate park. The city is the eastern starting point for the Cheese Country Trail, a 47-mile multi-purpose recreational path, and the Badger State Trail, a bicycle and pedestrian-only trail in summer and an ATV/snowmobile trail in winter. The "Cheese Trail" extends from Mineral Point to Monroe, while the Badger State Trail runs from the state line to Madison and connects to the Jane Addams Trail in Illinois. Both are former railway corridors. Monroe is also home to Stateline Ice and Community Expo (S.L.I.C.E.), the only indoor ice-rink in Green County.

Notable people

Notable people

• Bob Anderegg, professional basketball player
• Ken Behring, former owner of the Seattle Seahawks
• James Bintliff, Union Army general
• John Bolender, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• Ira B. Bradford, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• Evelene Brodstone, one of the highest paid female executives of the 1920s.
• Dick Campbell, singer, songwriter, movie director
• Edwin Copeland, botanist and founder of the University of the Philippines Los Banos College of Agriculture
• David G. Deininger, jurist and legislator
• G. Fred Galli, cheesemaker and legislator
• Loyd Ivey, Owner/CEO of Mitek (MTX Audio, Atlas Sound)
• Andre Jacque, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• Harry A. Keegan, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• Nathan J. Lindsay, U.S. Air Force major general
• William H. H. Llewellyn, New Mexico State Representative, member of the Rough Riders
• Joe Lobdell, professional football player
• John Luchsinger, legislator, writer, jurist
• Willis Ludlow, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and mayor of Monroe
• Ric Mathias, NFL player
• Perry A.C. Reed, Nebraska State Senator
• William Rittenhouse, Wisconsin State Senator
• Ray H. Schoonover, Wisconsin State Assemblyman, sheriff, and businessman
• Tom Tennant, MLB player
• Robin G. Tornow, U.S. Air Force general
• Charles Treat, U.S. Army general, Army Distinguished Service Medal recipient
• Nathan Farragut Twining, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force
• Merrill B. Twining, United States Marine Corps general
• Don S. Wenger, U.S. Air Force major general
• Francis H. West, Union Army general
• George Otto Wirz, Roman Catholic bishop
• Edwin E. Woodman, Wisconsin State Senator
• Art Young, cartoonist and writer

External links

• City of Monroe